_ (Tuesday). This day brought us to the valley of the Platte
River, after a march of eighteen miles. The valley is level, and about
three miles in width, the river winding along a serpentine course. The
river is nearly a quarter of a mile wide, and from two to twelve feet
in depth, the current being very swift and powerful.

The day closed with a sad accident. A supernumerary teamster of the
commissary train, Thomas B. Smith, of New Jersey, went in bathing, took
cramps, and was carried away by a relentless current to a watery grave.
Fruitless efforts were made to recover the body.

A grave was seen as we descended into the valley; a lonely record of
sanguine expectations and frustrated hopes. A board at the head bore
the inscription, "Miss Susan G. Hale, Mormon; Died 1852, Aged 24
years."

Here first commenced the work of gathering buffalo chips for fuel. We
engaged in the duty somewhat reluctantly, softening the unpleasantness
of it by laughing at each other.

_May 26_ (Wednesday). We reached the long-looked-for Fort Kearney,
marching thirteen and a third miles. Our course lay along the valley,
and the Fort was in sight throughout the march. It first consisted only
of a chimney and a flag-pole, but every mile added something to it. A
large house, we found, was attached to the chimney, and a flag to the
pole, and at last the place grew into several extensive buildings,
flanked about by adobe houses. Inhabitants: Infantry and washerwomen.
Goods for sale: buffalo skins and whiskey. Game: buffaloes and wolves.
Products: prairie grass and cacti. Water very poor.

A mail was distributed among us, and the happy recipients sought shady
nooks in which to have a chat with some loved one, or perhaps to battle
with wind and sand in trying to reply to the epistles received.

_May 27_ (Thursday). We remained in camp on account of about fifty
teamsters of the commissary train striking for higher wages. They were
marched away from the camp, bag and baggage, with the guard at their
rear at _charge bayonets_. The delay was rather fortunate, however, as
it gave an opportunity, both to us and the mules, to recuperate from
the wear and tear of the march.

_May 28_ (Friday). We left Fort Kearney behind, but made only ten and a
half miles, none of us being in the long-march humor. The prairie was
covered with long, dead grass, and some careless individual lighted his
pipe and the prairie at the same time. We soon succeeded in
extingu